NBI: Over 8,000 complaints filed vs. Aman Futures

ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines -- More than 8,000 complainants against Aman Futures have filed their statements before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Still, no arrest warrant has been issued against officers of the company, since the cases have yet to reach any court.

Aman Futures president, Malaysian national Manuel Amalilio, has fled to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. NBI Deputy Director for Regional Operations Services Virgilio Mendez said the complaints will be filed with the special task force created by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

“Sa ngayon, ongoing pa ang investigation namin. Siguro more than 8,000 complainants na (ang) nakunan ng statement. They have already filed complaints at the office of Pagadian and very soon, (also filing will be) the complainants coming from Cebu, others from Pagadian and also those coming from Manila,” said Mendez in an interview on dzMM.

However, he said that they still do not have the legal basis for their charges, as the warrants for the arrest of Aman Futures personnel have not yet come out.

“We're hopeful (the warrants) will come out very soon, because we filed this way back in third or second week of October.”

The NBI expects more complaints to be filed against the company, but the Aman Futures scam may not be an isolated case in Mindanao. The NBI says another investment company, the Coco Rasuman Group, had collapsed in Lanao del Sur.

The Justice department is now investigating if Coco Rasuman and Aman Futures are linked.

According to Mendez, the complainants in the case of Coco Rasuman are reluctant to file complaints against the company because they are still hoping to get their money back, despite the authorities’ warnings that it may not be possible.

“Iyong sa Lanao (del) Sur, nauna ito ng konti. na-prevail lang yung complainants cause nabigyan ng assurances ng return of investment. The provincial government did some actions, but in Lanao, this is one of the serious problems confronted by government,” Mendez said.

He added that some of the people who invested their money in Coco Rasuman also invested in Aman Futures after the former collapsed, hoping to recoup their losses. – From a report by ANC